Simon LA

While most hotels are not worthy destinations for a night out with the girls, or for a leisurely fine dining experience, Simon LA, the restaurant at the Solfitel Hotel in Los Angeles, is making a name for itself as a trendy hot spot for both jet-setters and locals alike.

The Village Idiot

When a bar/restaurant has a name like the Village Idiot, there is bound to be buzz surrounding it. If the name immediately conjures images of frat boys chugging Bud Lights and munching on questionable popcorn and peanuts, you might want to rethink your plans to take your former college buddies there when they are in town and cruisin’ for a boozin’. The Village Idiot might cater to a younger crowd, but the New York-esque atmosphere houses professional, impeccably dressed patrons looking for fine wines by the glass, eclectic beers, and food that goes above and beyond standard bar fare.

Because the Village Idiot draws inspiration from English pubs, the menu features standards like the juicy upscale pub burger, fish ‘n chips and pork sausage. For those looking for a finer dining experience, there are a host of other options, like a goat cheese tart, warm frisee salad with sherry shallot vinaigrette, and a cornmeal-battered catfish served with black eyed peas. Dessert options include a warm chocolate chip cookie served with vanilla ice cream, and a much-revered strawberry shortcake. As for the bowls of peanuts and stale popcorn? You’ll have to look elsewhere on the always bumping Melrose Avenue.

With the upscale menu, classic décor and more sophisticated beverage offerings, the Village Idiot has become a hot spot for many in the entertainment industry to grab drinks during the work week, or rub elbows on the weekends. Despite the presence of celebrities and young professionals, the Idiot also attracts a host of characters from the surrounding West Hollywood neighborhood who are looking for a nice glass of beer, and lively conversation with their friends. While the sophisticated atmosphere has potential to be off-putting, ultimately, the ambiance is warm and welcoming. Just be sure to bring cash for the valet, and an iron will for the wait to use the one stall in the ladies’ bathroom.

Vito's Pizza

Though Los Angeles is known more for its tofu than it is for its pizza, not even the most health conscious celebutante can resist a slice of Vito’s authentic New York-style pizza. While New York City transplants often bemoan the lack of tasty pies in Southern California, Vito’s is silently turning heads with the thin crust style pizzas that emerge piping hot and oozing with bubbling cheese from their pizza oven.

The quaint space located near the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd. and La Cienega, is as bare bones as it comes in terms of décor and ambiance. There is nothing trendy about the tiny strip-mall dive that boasts only small tabletops best suited for couples and tiny groups of friends looking for one thing: Good pizza that makes the indulgence on fat grams and calories worth every moan-inducing bite.

What Vito’s lacks in atmosphere, it more than makes up for with charming service and craveably good veggie, cheese, margherita, and white pizza slices. Servers are present and eager to get the smiling patrons slice after slice, and are always on hand when cups of root beer start getting low.

While Vito’s has imported the New York flavor, there is nary a hint of the New York attitude from the affable staff whose banter creates a familiar ambiance in the small space. Everyone is happy to be there, even the typically carb-o-phobic girl in the corner, devouring her veggie slice that is loaded with spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and glistening globs of ricotta. Vito’s may not be the ideal spot for maintaining a streamlined figure, but it’s the perfect place to spend a low-key Friday night.